For The Last
by MyFallenAngel
Summary: [ ShikaIno ] Follow Ino as she went through the worst day of her life! Failing the ANBU exam, getting into a huge fight with her best friend, and caught her boyfriend cheating all in one day? Hell, no! But they do say to save the best for the last, right?


**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto and you know that. Don't you? **

**Summary**: Follow Ino as she went through the worst day of her life! Failing the ANBU exam, getting into a huge fight with her best friend, and caught her boyfriend cheating all in one day? Hell, no! But they do say to save the best for the last, right?

**Dedicated to all ShikaIno fans. **

**This is the second one-shot from my ShikaIno trilogy! **

--

**Save The Best For The Last **

**By MyFallenAngel**

--

Yamanaka Ino was stunned.

"What?" She asked to the man in front of her.

"Yes, Yamanaka-san. We are terribly sorry," The man said in a soothing tune as he put away the paper works on his desk. "But we as ANBU had chosen not to accept you in the team."

"But I... but I passed the test!" Ino tried to argue, even though she knew that her efforts would fail miserably. ANBUs are known for their determination. "Both of them!" She held out two fingers to the man, "The written test and the practical test!"

"Ahm... Yes." The man nodded as he put his hands together, looking at Ino in the eyes. "You succeeded so greatly that you are accused of cheating. ANBUs exams are very hard. They're written to make people fail accordingly, and yet you passed them with excellent results."

"I passed the test." Ino repeated angrily. "You have no right to make me fail!"

"Unfortunately we do." He said patiently. "Our leader was not yet contacted about this, Yamanaka-san. We will sure be informing him about this, and it's his decision whether to fail you or to success you. Until then, please wait for further instructions!"

"But I..."

"No buts, Yamanaka-san." He said quickly in finality. "He will be back later tonight, so you could wait for the results late tonight."

Ino was about to argue again, but he interrupted, "Please."

"Fine!" She snapped angrily, and then stormed out of the ANBU office.

--

Ino was hanging out with her three girl friends in Tenten's apartment. She told them all about the ANBU exams, how she passed the tests excellently but she failed the requirements of a qualified ANBU member. Much to her rage, a certain pink-haired medic laughed over her failure.

"Oh, really?" Haruno Sakura looked a little taken aback, but soon after that she broke into loud laughter. "You failed!"

"You can't decide that, forehead girl." Ino smirked as she sipped her Chinese tea. "You really can't!"

"But all the signs are pointing to you failing!" Sakura pointed at Ino's nose accusingly, "First, ANBUs tests are hard, and you passed them... hmm, excellently! You must be cheating! Secondly, whatever you said, you are NOT qualified to be an ANBU member."

"I don't need your opinion."

"Oh, yes you do!" Sakura roared between laughs, "You are a pig! Ino-pig! And pigs are not supposed to be in ANBU! You take lives, not save lives!"

"What's your point?" Ino snapped, enraged by Sakura's words.

"I-I'm sure things will be alright..." Hinata interrupted, looking at Ino pitifully.

"And you, you don't need to pity me!" Ino pointed at Hinata, who blushed that right second.

The shy girl stuttered, "I'm... I'm sorry, Ino-chan..."

"Huh!"

"You really don't have to be that harsh." Tenten said, drinking her Chinese Tea. "You know Hinata doesn't mean it. You're just angry and you're using us as black goats."

"I'm not!" Ino said, standing up and 'accidentally' whipping her blonde hair to Tenten's face, which she easily dodged. "You don't have to be harsh to me too! You are already an ANBU member, so you don't have to be worried! You have a job and soon you'll be married to your oh-so-genius Hyuuga boy!"

"Don't bring Neji to this." The weapon kunoichi said calmly, putting her cup down. "And don't use us as black goats either, Ino."

"Ha! I didn't!"

"But you are." Sakura chimed in. "You're just being jealous of Tenten's success, aren't you?"

"No."

"... Oh, Sakura-chan, I think that's too harsh..."

"No, Hinata, it isn't." Sakura said angrily. "Ino is just taking us as black goats, like Tenten said."

"Fine!" The blonde girl said quickly. "What if I am? It's not like you all care! You have Sasuke-kun, forehead-girl! You're quite successful as a medical ninja too! Tenten is getting married with Neji in January! That's only three months from now! She is also an ANBU member! And even if you hide it, Hinata, I know you and Naruto is getting along well, and that you are studying medic under Tsunade-sama! Everybody has his or her own dreams! But me? Why is it so hard to even qualify as an ANBU?"

"It's not." Sakura groaned. "You're just overacting."

Hinata silenced.

"You just have to wait for the result, right?" Tenten shrugged. "It's no big deal."

"You don't understand!" Ino raged. "Fine! From now on, I'll do my things my own!"

She stormed out of Tenten's apartment.

"A-are we being too harsh?" Hinata asked timidly.

Tenten shook her head. "Her emotions are just unstable, that's all." She said meaningfully. "You get her a boyfriend, and she'll be alright."

"She already has a boyfriend."

"Oh. Right." Tenten shrugged again. "That Shikamaru boy. They're not often seen together, right? That's why I hardly acknowledge them as couples."

Sakura smirked.

Hinata smiled.

"Save the best for the last." The weapon mistress continued, "I bet things will be better moreover."

--

**Knock! Knock! **

Shikamaru frowned. He was not expecting a visitor this day - not when _she_ was here. Herself alone had made him busy for the whole day, let alone another visitor! Oh, this was going to be troublesome.

"Wait here." He told Temari, and the girl nodded as she paced around the room once more.

He walked to the front door, still frowning, and opened it to reveal a very cross Yamanaka Ino.

"Oh, Ino!" he stated. "What are you doing here?"

She glared at him. "Can't I just visit you?"

Shikamaru smirked. "That's fine. But you should tell me first so that I can make preparations..."

"What preparations?" Ino asked suspiciously. "You never get me any snacks when I'm visiting you. You didn't even offer a drink. You never make preparations!"

"Oh." Shikamaru replied uncomfortably.

"Are you going to let me in or not?" The blonde frowned.

"About that..."

"Shikamaru, who is it?"

Behind him appeared Temari, the girl from Suna, three years older than Shikamaru. She was only wearing her shirt and skirt, revealing her somewhat gorgeous body she always hid under the armors she usually used.

Ino glared.

Temari smirked.

They engaged into a glaring contest, which Shikamaru interrupted.

"Please, don't." He said, waving his hand awkwardly.

"What is she doing here?" Ino asked heavily.

"This is not what you think." Shikamaru answered as he waved his hand again. "Oh, how troublesome."

Temari smirked. She walked to Shikamaru and wickedly put her arms around him. "This is not what you think." She mimicked Shikamaru's words, which he glared at her and she returned it with stifled giggles.

"You're cheating." Ino said. "Oh, shit. I can't believe it."

"Don't curse." Shikamaru shrugged. "Ino, this is NOT what you think. Temari is just visiting me here, right, Temari?"

The older girl giggled as she nodded.

Ino glared at her. "You're cheating." She accused, tears streaming down her face. "Oh, really, Shikamaru! I hate you, I hate you, and I hate you!"

She ran away.

Shikamaru gulped.

"You should have softened the blow." Temari said accusingly. "So you never told her I'm always visiting you once a week, eh?"

"No."

"Why?"

"It's too troublesome. And this is a secret for her."

Temari grinned. "If you think explaining is troublesome, this will be more troublesome. You gather that?" She asked in a motherly way. "Ha! I can't believe she thinks that you're cheating on her with me! I never dreamed of being lovers with you! It doesn't suit us!"

"It doesn't." Shikamaru agreed. "Well, what should I do now?"

Temari smirked. "Isn't it obvious?"

"No."

"You idiot." She said. "Of course you have to chase her and tell her everything."

"Everything?"

"Of course."

"..." Shikamaru gulped again. "It's too troublesome."

Temari slapped his cheek playfully. "Don't think of it as troublesome." She told him warily, "You probably will never get married if it's not with that girl."

"Okay." Shikamaru said as he walked out of his house calmly.

Temari smirked. "Oh well."

--

Ino ran.

And ran.

And ran.

Until she was stopped by something.

Her feet were numb, and she cannot move. Looking at the shadows beneath her feet, she immediately knew what's going on.

"Shikamaru!" She yelled. "Don't use your stupid jutsus on me!"

"Then stop running so we can talk." came his calm reply.

"I don't want to talk! We have nothing to talk about!" Ino said exasperatedly. "I hate you, Shikamaru!"

"Obviously." He said, walking closer to her.

Ino tried her best to stay put, but her feet moved towards Shikamaru until they were face to face.

"Well? That's not hard." He said gently. "Listen, Ino."

"I don't want to." She cut him out angrily. "I don't need to listen to your stupidities, I don't need to listen to the reasons you faked when you're really cheating on me!"

"I'm not cheating." Shikamaru said. "Temari is just visiting me."

"Why!"

"She always does, once a week."

"And you never tell me!" Ino snapped. "Oh, why must everything happen today? First I failed the ANBU exam, then I got into a fight with my friends, and now you are cheating on me! Hell!"

"I'm not cheating." Shikamaru repeated.

"Then why does she visits you once in a week and you never told me?"

"That is..." Shikamaru groaned. "Well, I shouldn't tell you this, but she came to help me do something."

"And what is that something?"

"... Nah."

"Tell me." Ino ordered harshly.

"... But..." He argued.

"No buts." She glared at him, which made Shikamaru felt that he was shrinking.

"It's too troublesome." He reasoned at last.

"You're cheating." Ino accused again. If he thinks he could get away easily with this, he thinks wrong. Big time. She needed something to just kill her anger, hatred, and such. And he was the 'something' (or maybe someone) who could.

"I'm not." Shikamaru feigned a yawn while saying that.

"Then why?" She insisted.

"I can't." He sighed as he looked up on the sky. There were no clouds at night, duh! Okay, maybe there were, but they're just invisible to his eyes.

"Then you're cheating." Ino said again, feeling enraged by every movement he made. This conversation was grating her nerves, and yet she have to know why Temari was with Shikamaru today.

"But I'm not."

"Why?"

"Never mind."

"You're cheating, obviously."

"... Argh! Fine!" Shikamaru groaned again. "I asked for her help to find me a way to propose to you!"

"You... what?" Ino blushed furiously and she held up her hand to cover her hot cheeks. "Propose?"

"Right." He blushed too. "I had to ask her. She's older than most of us, and besides, she's married to some guy from Suna."

"Temari is married?"

"Yeah. She said she had the most romantic proposal ever." He shrugged. "That's why I asked her for these things. Girls are good in these troublesome things, you know."

"You could have asked Sakura, Hinata, or Tenten!"

"Sakura's loud. Hinata's not even engaged yet. And Tenten... Neji would probably kill me if he knew I'm messing with his bride-to-be." He sighed. "That left Temari."

"You called her all the way from Suna?"

"Well, she came here often."

"... So?" Ino asked.

"So what?"

"Are you going to propose or not?"

"... No."

Ino's face fell. "Why?"

"I'm not ready." He said. "I don't even have the ring."

"I don't need a ring."

"You do." He frowned. "All girls do, Temari said."

"Then don't consider me as 'all girls'." Ino smirked.

"Why was getting proposed so important to you?"

"Because I just have the worst day ever."

"Oh. I'm sorry about that."

"Really..."

"Yeah."

"Then propose."

He glared playfully at her. "Later, then. I'll go find a ring first and you go home."

Ino sniffed. "Okay." She said as she waved good-bye to Shikamaru and went on her way home.

"Ino." Her mother called.

"Yes?"

"There's a telephone from ANBU just now." Her mother said. "You probably have to call back."

_ANBU. _

Ino's eyes lightened up.

_Probably it's the results! _

She jolted to the telephone and dialed ANBU's numbers.

"Hello." She breathed, calming herself down. "This is Yamanaka Ino."

"Oh, Yamanaka-san!" The man said audibly. "Our leader wished to speak to you. Please wait a few moments."

A dialing tune was being rang, and the next minute Ino knew, she was speaking with the ANBU leader.

"I'm Hitawa Satoshi." He said clearly and firmly. "The leader of ANBU. I have received news from my subordinates, and find out of your test results. Our final decision is that you're accepted in the ANBU armies. Welcome, Yamanaka-san."

"What?"

"Yes. Can you proceed here tomorrow so that you could apply a member application form again?"

"Really? Is this for real?" Ino can hardly believe her luck.

"Yes." Satoshi laughed a little. "I'm sorry for our staffs bad behavior to you."

"It's okay." Ino said quickly. "Anyway, thanks. And tomorrow I'll come for sure!"

She slammed the phone on its receiver and jumped through the hallways to the door.

"Ino, what is it?" Her mother asked.

"I'm received as an ANBU member!" She yelled happily as she snatched her jacket. "I'll be out for a while, mom!"

Her mother grinned. "Congratulations, Ino." She said as she watched her only daughter leaping happily out of their garden.

Ino knew where she was going right now. She was going to Tenten's apartment with two goals: to say sorry and to tell them this good news. If they were her friends, they will be happy for her.

She knocked on Tenten's door impatiently.

And when the weapon kunoichi opened it, Ino jumped to her and hugged her dearly. Tenten was stunned. "Ino?" She asked, a little uncertainty shown in her voice. "What happened?"

"Oh, Tenten! I'm an official ANBU now!" She cried out of joy.

Tenten grinned. "That's good! Come in, Ino!" She led her into the living room, where Hinata and Sakura were watching TV.

They were both stunned to see Ino.

Sakura stared at her and turned back to the TV.

"H-hey, Ino-chan..." Hinata stuttered shyly.

Ino smiled awkwardly.

Tenten grinned, making her way to break the ice. "Well, Hinata, Sakura, let's prepare for a celebration!" She said energetically, "Ino had been officially promoted to an ANBU!"

"R-really?" Hinata asked, happiness beaming on her face. "Congratulations, Ino-chan!"

Sakura smirked. "You succeeded, Ino-pig." She said.

"Yes." Ino breathed happily, erasing the awkwardness on her face. "Sakura, Hinata, Tenten... I'm sorry for today."

Tenten waved her hand. "No big deal." She told Ino and disappeared to her kitchen.

"It's okay, Ino-chan." Hinata smiled as she followed Tenten.

Sakura smirked again. "It's all right." She said at last, "You're not the only one who's wrong. Me too. So, sorry Ino-pig."

"... Okay, forehead-girl."

Both of them smiled in relief and entered Tenten's kitchen as well.

Fifteen minutes after that, a very simple Chinese dinner was being prepared on Tenten's table. The weapon mistress grinned happily. "So, dig in, guys!"

After they finished eating, they held up champagne.

"For Ino-pig!" Sakura cheered, and sounds of glasses being crashed were heard.

"Well..." Ino said after they all had settled down in Tenten's living room. "I got another news for you all."

"Oh yeah? What?"

"... Shikamaru's going to propose!"

"For real?" Tenten asked. "But... how?"

"At first I thought he was cheating." Ino told them the complete story of how she saw Temari in Shikamaru's house. "But then he said that he was asking for Temari's help to propose to me!"

"Temari's married, you fool." Tenten said quickly.

"I know." Ino nodded. "I just acknowledge that about three hours ago."

"So now you're committed?"

"No. But he said he's going to find a ring and that all."

Sakura arched her eyebrows in envy. "You're so lucky! You'll get married soon!"

"Probably." Ino laughed. "You should get Sasuke-kun in hand for marriage too, Sakura-forehead."

"He's not that easy." She complained and turned towards Hinata. "Hinata will probably get married quicker than me! Naruto's not one to take things slowly!"

Hinata blushed. "B-but Neji-niisan is not too!" She said in effort to turn the subject towards Tenten.

The weapon girl blushed heavily. "He's not." She agreed. "Maybe that's why we're going to get married soon."

"Ah! You guys are so lucky!" Sakura whined, but then her whining turned into an evil grin, "But I got the most popular boy here, did I not?"

"Stop being so cocky!"

"Right!" Tenten protested. "Neji is popular too!"

"... Tenten-chan is right!" Hinata chimed in.

Sakura smirked. "Oh whatever." She said, waving her hand in dismissal. She then eyed Tenten. "But now I'm very curious... Tenten, how did you get Neji to propose?"

"I did not get him to propose." She said quickly. "He's just not one to take things slowly. Hell-o?"

"Right." Sakura rolled her eyes. "Then how did he propose?"

Tenten grinned naughtily. "That's for me to know and for you to wonder!" She said cockily.

Ino smirked. "I won't wonder." She said. "Knowing Neji, he'll probably be right to the point. Did he, Tenten?"

The girl smiled. "This time he did not." She replied in satisfaction. "That's why I told you to wonder!"

"Then how..."

Ino's question was interrupted by a loud knock on Tenten's door. The weapon mistress proceeded to the door and revealed Shikamaru outside.

"Hello." She greeted him casually.

"Is Ino inside?" He asked without further ado.

"Yeah."

"Can you call her?"

Tenten smirked. "Stay here." She told him, and she went to the living room again. "Hey, Ino. Your _prince charming_ is outside." She gestured Ino to go, and the blonde stood up and walked to Tenten's door.

"Oh... hey, Shikamaru." She said, a hint of red appearing on her cheeks.

The boy groaned. "How troublesome." He mouthed and took a ring out of his pockets. It was a gold ring. "Here." He handed it to her. "Marry me, Ino."

Ino blushed heavily as she received the ring, but then they were interrupted by a loud shout from Sakura.

"NO, NO! You have to be more romantic, Shikamaru!" She said to him loudly, "Kneel down on one feet!"

"How troublesome." Shikamaru said out loud.

Sakura groaned. "Come on!"

Tenten hushed her. "Sakura, shut up! You're ruining the '_mood_'!"

"Oh right!" The pink-haired kunoichi said as she stared at Shikamaru, mutely but still as if she's asking him to do it.

Shikamaru groaned and knelt on one feet. He took the ring from Ino's hands and quickly said to her, faking a sweet voice in process. "Yamanaka Ino, will you marry me?"

Ino blushed again.

"That's not good!" Tenten shrieked. "You have to say I love you first!"

"D-did Neji-niisan said that first?" Hinata asked.

Tenten blushed. "He did." She whispered quickly and turned to the couple again. "Shikamaru! Use your head! You're a genius, right? Propose like a genius!"

"You told me to be quiet!" Sakura screamed at Tenten jokingly, and turned towards Shikamaru. "Slip the ring on her finger after saying that!"

Shikamaru groaned again.

"Re-do!" Sakura ordered.

Ino felt her cheeks reddened every second as Shikamaru took the ring from her hand again. He knelt on one knee and quickly said to her. "Yamanaka Ino, I love you. Will you marry me, then?"

"Yes." She breathed, her voice barely audible.

Shikamaru grinned and he stood up, slipping the beautiful ring on her finger. He pulled her into a warm embrace, which she returned shyly.

Tenten grinned. She pulled her two friends backwards and dragged them to her bedroom. Sakura and Hinata silenced, giving privacy to the now-engaged couple.

The three of them sat on Tenten's big bed.

"Neji had slept on this bed, haven't him?" Sakura asked bluntly.

Tenten groaned and blushed but gave no reply.

"D-did Neji-niisan?" Hinata asked, interested.

Tenten groaned again. "There's no way I'll tell you that." She said quickly, changing the subject effortlessly, "Hey, when do you think Ino and Shikamaru will get married?"

"Some months after you and Neji, of course." Sakura rolled her eyes. "Shikamaru's slow."

"But he's sweet." Tenten grinned. "I bet he can be sweeter than Neji if he tries."

"Now you're talking!" Sakura smiled.

Hinata gave her friends a shy smile.

Tenten smiled. "But I am right, eh?"

"What right?"

"About that 'save the best for the last' thing."

"Oh. Right. How much should I pay you?" Sakura asked, faking a 'I-don't-care' look on her face.

"That fifty percent discount off the Chinese food on the restaurant you have."

Sakura groaned. "But I want to eat there!"

"A bet is a bet." Tenten smiled cheekily. "Ah, that's why I love to say to save the best for the last."

Save the best…

… for the last!

**Hooray! **

--

**Owari**

--

Yay! Save the best, for the last! I know, it's not my best work, but bear with me! I have problems up my sleeves, and it's not easy. Really.

Reviews please!

(Grin) Thanks, guys!


End file.
